Rosen was in a good mood. He was staying in his luxurious suite with his top officers when Nico Robin handed him a notebook. This was a list of treasures and inventory.
"620 million Berries and some treasures. The money is a little bit short," Crocodile commented after skimming through the contents.
"I aimed to keep everything straightforward, and this ship wasn't cheap, Boss. At that time, we still had superficial efforts to consider, but if you had known how expensive it was, taking it directly wouldn't have been a problem for us," Robin responded, smiling.
"It's fine, it doesn't matter," Crocodile replied nonchalantly. Having more money would be good, but hundreds of millions of Berries are still substantial. After all, it's all for him. Any comments?
"It's better to wait until we reach the next island and let the officers procure more," Robin returned to her role, sensibly assessing the situation. She knew well that some things need to have their value reflected.
This was her way of survival.
"Do not do anything you regret in the future. The same goes for you all. Don't be clever and act without authorization. Understand? I hate it when people act first and report later," Crocodile sternly addressed his four officers.
He was concerned that they might still follow their old unscrupulous ways, which could cause trouble in the outside world, unlike in Alabasta, where there were many strong people.
Crocodile always felt he had a "villain" halo and feared inadvertently affecting the three big futures. It was not something he could provoke at the moment—some growth was needed first.
"Understood!" Except for Robin, the other three responded in unison.
Robin was momentarily taken aback but felt relieved inside. She shrugged slightly, her face respectful.
Who knew that Crocodile had become so approachable? Did he give more Berries to the villagers and children who were about to starve?
Crocodile didn't know that Robin was still contemplating the Berries. If he did, he wouldn't be angry.
"MR. 1, MR. 5," Crocodile began to call the roll after putting down the information.
"Here."
"The two of you are mainly responsible for the ship's safety. MR. 1 will lead, and MR. 5 will assist. If you find someone with good potential, report to me," Crocodile's instructions were clear. Necessary duties and hierarchy must be set to avoid internal conflicts.
"Understood."
"Miss Valentine, you're also a combat member. You're free to make chocolate for us to taste."
"Okay, Boss." Crocodile felt conflicted about Miss Valentine's overly eager demeanor. Wasn't she a murderous character who seemed so sincere and fearful now?
Oh well, if she's softened, she's softened. It's a pity that her ability to adjust weight, which can be used on weapons, isn't weak. Despite this woman having a bounty of 7.5 million Berries, she doesn't quite compare to MR. 1 and MR. 5.
"Then what am I in charge of, Boss?" Robin prompted when it seemed Crocodile wouldn't continue.
"You're in charge of all matters on the ship—information and crew management," Crocodile said, fully aware that this was more than necessary for Robin.
Considering Baroque Works, Robin had easily managed everything. It's a talent that seemed wasted on the Straw Hat Crew, at least not reflected in the current plot.
Robin's strength isn't particularly high, but her breadth of knowledge and life experiences have honed her management, intelligence-gathering, and survival skills.
"But take some time each day to teach me about history," Crocodile added. He knew little about history—not the Void Century, but recorded history in general. Ignorance could be a disadvantage, especially when encountering valuable things.
Knowledge is essential, and this was his reason for bringing Robin aboard.
"No problem," Robin agreed without hesitation.
"Captain, there's a situation. A pirate ship is ahead on the same route. Should we sink them?" a loud voice rang from the crow's nest, full of excitement.
"They're daring to travel the same route as us and not avoiding our Warlord ship. They need to learn a lesson."
"One more thing," Crocodile said, recalling another rule. "I don't want anyone killing innocents or robbing and raping civilians when we're at sea. If I find out, they'll face grave consequences."
The area fell silent, the weight of Crocodile's rules pressing on them. Their first response was shock. Did the boss change?
They are pirates, after all. How can they survive without plundering and killing? Where would they get their resources and food, and how would they demonstrate their power?
MR. 1 and the others wore unusual expressions, but Crocodile's resolve didn't waver. This was a non-negotiable rule aimed at sparing innocent lives.
No rules, no standards.
"If you can't accept it, you can disembark at any time. I promise not to act against you. But those who stay must follow the rules," Crocodile reiterated.
"What's different about this? Crocodile wouldn't have said something like this," Robin pondered, unsure of Crocodile's true intentions.
That was irrelevant. MR. 1 was the first to adapt, "BOSS, we need to plunder pirate resources, right? That's no conflict with your statement."
The rest agreed, realizing that the boss's directive didn't greatly differ from their mission. It's just a rule, like those in Baroque Works, and not unmanageable.
"Crocodile, are you on board? Did you mess up Vivi's country? I'll definitely hit you~" An angry roar rang out, making Crocodile uneasy.
Sure enough, chaos erupted on deck: "Enemy attack!"
"Luffy, don't use bombs next time, or I'll hack you to pieces," a lingering voice scolded.
"It's fine, but right now, we don't see the enemy leader. Are you sure you saw Crocodile, Vivi?" another voice joined in.
Crocodile recognized the voices of the "three main forces" and felt troubled. The approaching pirate ship bore the Straw Hat flag? What a coincidence! It seemed inevitable.
Now what should be done?
The timeline seemed slightly off, but many events had changed since Crocodile's arrival. The Baroque Works members like MR. 5 hadn't even participated yet, and no pursuing soldiers were seen.
Considering their amicable approach, fighting seemed unwise. The protagonist's aura made Crocodile wary, fearing severe consequences from such encounters.
Lighting a cigar to calm himself, Crocodile stood up and declared, "Trouble is coming."